Saturday, August 19, 2006

SMS to be available in Telugu from next month

Staff Reporter

Can be accessed for Rs. 99 for a download

HYDERABAD: Soon you can do the finger numbing universal exercise of SMS (Short Messaging Service) in Telugu with a joint venture private firm about to make it available from September 1 all over Andhra Pradesh.

Telugu SMS can be accessed for a price of Rs. 99 for a single download at about 400 select outlets throughout the State. Veteran actor Akkineni Nageswara Rao formally launched the service on Saturday.

Supr Tradelinks Pvt. Ltd. (suprtradelinks@yahoo.com) and Random Infotech have joined hands to introduce the service with the latter's Chief Executive Officer, C. Premanand pointing out a majority of people were losing out on content as only English was used for SMSing.

Moreover, SMS in other languages too were being sent in English, which gave them the idea of a Telugu SMS. Using the transliteration method, SMS in Telugu can be sent using the same keyboard available on the mobile phone, he said.

Application can be downloaded on phone and even those not familiar with Telugu can send an SMS in the language. "Dynamic content including information about agriculture as also entertainment can be sent in Telugu," said Mr. Premanand (premanand@randominfotech.com).

Telugu browser

Also in the pipeline was the launch of a Telugu browser from which movies too can be transcribed into the mobile phones, he said stating that his firm had already introduced SMS in Tamil and Malayalam.

Mr. Nageswara Rao welcomed the service and said despite English being the world language the mother tongue should never be neglected. Noted poet M.S. Reddy appreciated the service and read out couplets in praise of Telugu. Supr Tradelinks Managing Director N. Umamaheswara Rao spoke.